GOOD Statement by Jonathan Cupido ,
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor & Caucus Whip
26 March 2025
The GOOD Party will support tomorrow’s motion of no confidence in Cape Town Speaker, Felicity Purchase. The vote of no confidence is scheduled as the first item on Thursday’s council agenda. Purchase has decided the vote will happen by open ballot, a decision we strongly reject. It is ludicrous that the Speaker should determine the voting process for a vote that affects her directly. The Structures Act, Schedule 3, provides for the Speaker to be elected by secret ballot, we believe the converse should also apply, a vote to remove her should be held by secret ballot.
In January, Purchase decided to move the first council meeting of the year from an in-person meeting to an online platform. The council session was to table the City’s Adjustment Budget report and other important reports relating to service delivery. A Programming Committee resolution in 2024 confirmed that any council meetings dealing with budgetary items would be held in-council. Virtual council meetings are a result of Covid-19, the threat of the pandemic is long gone. GOOD believes all council meetings should be held physically in the Council Chamber. It’s an abuse of office to deviate from this default and foundational principle of public and transparent legislative meetings.
Purchase decided to move the 30 January meeting to a virtual session without consulting any parties. In an email sent to councillors on the 27th of January, the Speaker said her office had been “advised of planned disruptions to Council proceedings”. It is our belief that the decision was nothing more than a veiled attempt to protect MMCs JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg from public scrutiny following the Hawks raid on their office.
The Speaker is responsible to the people of Cape Town and all members of council, including the opposition. She is obligated to protect councillors’ rights to freedom of speech and ensure that the council operates in accordance with the rules.
The Speaker has violated her obligation by bullying and silencing the opposition councillors. She has chosen to prioritise the will of her political party, the DA.
Media enquiries: media@forgood.org.za